Karen Foley
Lynn Raye Harris
Ellen Hartman
Diana Holquist
Samantha Hunter
Shirley Jump
Dee Tenorio
Jeannie Watt
Revisions, smevisions...
Okay, I am in revision mode this week. In theory, just a little buff, a little polish, a little shave here, a little enhancement there... in practice, it's become a bit of an overhaul, rewriting the first three chapters of the book. Joy, oh joy.
But! I do think I am finding something better in amongst all the second guessing and stress. Thank God for Sam and her great advice, and my lovely ed, Wanda, for being so patient with me and listening to my long, rambling phone calls. If only I didn't have an episode of Neighbours to write, also, I think I'd actually be enjoying all this. The scary thing about that one is that they gave me the last episode for the year, too. High drama, life and death, hard choices for much loved characters. I hope I do it justice, that's all I can say!!!
This is my first post-full time work week at home, and I am loving it. Pyjamas till noon, just me and my Le Corbusier chaise lounge, ergonomic keyboard and laptop stand. One day I will have to post a pic of how I write - I'm sure I look quite insane, semi-reclined with keyboard in my lap. But I find it so much better on my back and neck than writing at a desk, so it's well worth the danger of earning myself an eccentric tag. My great joke to my family is that I will end up like Barbara Cartland, reclining on a couch wearing pink chiffon and diamonds, feeding a small fluffy dog chocolates while I dictate my latest novel to my secretary. Someone pointed out to me the other day that I am already halfway there with my Le Corbusier...hmmm, there's a lesson in there somewhere!
I should admit at this stage, I think, to having read quite a few of Ms Cartland's books -and to enjoying them, also. When I was about 18 I discovered Georgette Heyer, and I have been hooked on Regency romances ever since. Barbara Cartland was, of course, prolific in that era. So, here comes my question for this blog, after all that waffle: as well as Blaze, what other styles of romances or genres do you enjoy? I'll kick us off by adding that as well as Regencies and Blazes, I like fantasy (but I'm very, very picky about my fantasy!), and the occasional crime novel, as long as it's not too forensic-y and gory. Okay, over to you...
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Genres
You know...
I have never been much into bios, but I read Neil Simon's recently, which is in two books, one which ends with the death of his first wife,the other which chronicles his later marriage and life. It was damned fascinating and charming, and I bet those 40s/50s/60s stars got up to some high jinx in their time, too. Do you have any good regency recommendations for me? I have read Mary Balogh, and, of course, Georgette Heyer, but I am very open to recommendations in this genre.
Regency
Thank you!
Straight onto my book list I keep in my purse. I hate getting to Borders and not having any idea what to buy... Although I guess there are worse fates in life!
Welcome!
Tastes change
I'm jealous
I want a cool nickname like Vampslut! I guess I could be Cravatslut, or something like that... But it doesn't quite have the same ring to it. Re DE Stevenson, my partner went through a stage of being very into All Creatures Great and Small and other books written by James Herriot. He really enjoyed the gentle story telling, the English countryside and the different way of living. I might check out Ms Stevenson myself if I can find her - I have plans for a book set during World War II. Now, if I could just get a spare 6 months or so to write it...
Ever changing
If only...
I honestly don't know how Barbara Cartland did it. My brain does not connect through my mouth in the same way as it connects through my fingertips - to be able to structure sentences, shape paragraphs, build tension while dictating... Well, it's certainly not a talent I possess. But thanks for the offer (!) anyway, Deb!!!
I love reading just about
Have you tried...
... Tess Gerritsen? She used to write for category romance, but has since gone mainstream and is a best seller. Harvest was her break out book, a medical thriller, and my mum got a copy from a second hand shop. She read it, couldn't put it down, and then lent it to everyone she knows. By the time I got it it, the cover was falling off. But I think she has single-handedly created a chapter of Gerritsen fans Down Under! She usually has some kind of romantic subplot, particularly in the ones set in Boston police department, with Jane Rizzoli in them. Jane is a fantastic heroine - a real pain in the ass, prickly, bolshy, but great.
Wow!
Newly Discovered
I agree
I think that's a big part of it for me, too, having a romance is a big aspect for me, though I have read books like Charlaine Harris and Patricia Briggs (Briggs is my new addiction) where the romance is not central, or even very apparent, at least at first, but it's definitely subplot, and I still like it because they create interesting worlds, and there are neat relationships, even if all of them aren't romance... Also the writing is stellar.
Sam
Ta for the tips
I will write these authors down and take a peek next time I am at Borders. The fantasy I am into is what I think they call "high fantasy" - Tolkien kind of stuff. My all time favourite, most amazing fantasy writer is George RR Martin. He was a writer on that old TV drama with Linda Hamilton, Beauty and the Beast, and it's so damned hard to put one of his books down. Lots of family loyalties, romance, betrayal, politics, etc, and not too many crazy names or too much wierd magic. Kind of fantasy soap opera, I guess.
I totally agree with you on the romance subplot - almost the main reason I read anything or watch anything is for the romance story. I'm happy to explore other genres, but I'm even happier when there's that romance in there...
Le Corbusier
Retro
Perhaps I should qualify...
...that my Le Corbusier is only a reproduction! Sadly, Euri, I might actually like your brown leather monstrosity more than I like my chaise. Don't get me wrong, I like the clean lines and I admire the design, but it doesn't go with a single other thing in our house. Most of our stuff is Asian influenced, so it really sticks out like a sore thumb... But it is sooo incredibly comfortable, it's well worth it. There's a place in Sydney that sells them under a $1000, I think... As for retro romance, those Alpha male books where the hero thinks the heroine is a gold-digging no good are soooooo dated, aren't they? I used to read so many of them when I was a teen, as my paternal nan had a big collection. I have noticed something of a return to the alpha male category romance in Harlequin Presents. Although perhaps I am leaping to conclusions based on their covers and titles...
comfort
Historicals & Paranormals
Historicals are about the only thing I don't read. I read one of Joanne Rock's, because she's Joanne :) and I read one Regency for the RITAs that I actually enjoyed very much, but it was a novella -- if I had secrets and you wanted to make me talk, all you'd have to do is threaten me with one of those monster size historicals. ;) No offense to those who read or write them, they just aren't my thing. I have never been one too much for history, though I did enjoy John Jakes novels once.
I like paranormal, but I'm very picky about it, and it's rare I find paranormal that pleases me on every level -- I am much more forgiving of traditional romance but with paranormal, if there's something about the world or the characters that doesn't work (and with so many things to keep track of, there can be a lot that falls through), I tend to give up on a book, or an author.
I also don't care for paranormals where everything is peachy -- I read a paranormal series by a very popular author where the vampires were just all so *good* and egads, I couldn't stop reading it fast enough. Paranormal is meant to explore dark, much like its cousin romantic suspense -- they look at the moral grey, the dark places in the world, or possible worlds, and how humans deal with it. At least, those are the paranormals that speak to me. If you are Harris, you can infuse it with humor, but she can still be very. very dark. Now Hamilton on the other hand -- I liked her first few, and then she went over some kind of sexual deep end that didn't even hit me as dark or interesting so much as just. . .surplus. I don't know how else to put it, it was just too much sex.
Sam
Too much sex?
How is this possible, Sam?! But seriously - I have actually been asked to take sex scenes out of a couple of my Blazes, believe it or not. This book I'm working on at the moment,Wanda told me to tone down on the nipple action. Apparently I had a little bit of overkill in the boob department. Hilarious!!! I am going to have to do a word search and weed out half of my references!!! I am just a babe in the woods with paranormal, and I have been keeping an eye out for Harris, but I think I will have to special order her down here, as she doesn't seem to be readily available on the shelf...
There's not enough space